Untitled 

Editor: Looking at Ligia Macovei's "Untitled" acrylic painting, what strikes me is how raw the application of the paint is. You can really see the artist’s hand. I'm curious about your interpretation. What details stand out for you? Curator: For me, it's about the tangible evidence of its creation. We see the brushstrokes, the layering of acrylic paint—each a record of Macovei's physical engagement. It’s like examining the tools of labor that went into producing this image and considering what kind of market and structures would enable this artist's continued making of images. Does it shift our perspective when we see Abstract Expressionism outside of the white cube? Editor: That’s interesting. I was so focused on the image itself—the figure, the dog, and landscape elements—that I hadn't really considered the labour aspect of it. How does that emphasis on the production of art challenge the more traditional boundaries we often draw between high art and, say, craft? Curator: It makes us question the established hierarchy. Here we have 'high art' techniques like painting. But if we foreground materiality –the qualities of acrylic and canvas - and the gestural performance involved, we get a fresh perspective. Where was this canvas manufactured, who makes the paint and how are they compensated, what's the gallery's commission, how long does it take for people to be able to even view, critique, purchase or exhibit such a painting and so on. These sorts of question move us away from mere aesthetic appreciation towards analysis that underscores socioeconomic conditions behind this work. Editor: So, instead of simply admiring the final product, we're encouraged to consider the whole ecosystem involved in bringing it into existence. This definitely shifts the conversation. I now understand that focusing on the labor and materials adds such complexity and socio-economic dimension that I overlooked at first glance! Curator: Exactly. Approaching art with a materialist lens encourages us to become more conscious viewers, recognizing that artwork's meaning are created by myriad hands beyond solely 'the artist' themselves.